Combination of interlocking security on chain door guards

ABSTRACT

A chain door guard assembly is disclosed which includes a guard plate having a raised main body section and extending flanges for attaching the guard plate to a door. The main body section of the guard plate defines a long slot and a plurality of entry slots which permit insertion of a plurality of chain heads into the long slot. Two independent entry slots, for accepting a chain head in one instance and a chain-attached slide bolt in the other, are also provided. The assembly is completed by a bracket, to which the chain is rotatably anchored, for attachment to the door jamb. The resulting chain door guard assembly affords selectively varying degrees of security and convenience, achieved by the insertion of various chain heads into various entry slots.

[ July 15, 1975 COMBINATION OF INTERLOCKING SECURITY 0N CHAIN DOOR GUARDS [76] lnventor: Bernard C. Sega], 150-6 J. Dreiser Loop, Bronx, N.Y. 10475 [22] Filed: July 12, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 488,164

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 341,563, March 15, 1973, abandoned, which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 306,180, Dec. 26, 1972, abandoned.

[52] US. Cl. 292/264 [51] Int. Cl. E05C 19/00 [58] Field of Search 70/93; 292/264, 271, 272, 292/273 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 257,986 5/1882 Skerrett 292/264 467,165 l/l892 Grandeman 292/272 X 2,076,605 4/1937 West 292/264 2,881,611 4/1959 Callegari 70/93 Primary ExaminerRichard E. Moore [5 7 ABSTRACT A chain door guard assembly is disclosed which includes a guard plate having a raised main body section and extending flanges for attaching the guard plate to a door. The main body section of the guard plate defines a long slot and a plurality of entry slots which permit insertion of a plurality of chain heads into the long slot. Two independent entry slots, for accepting a chain head in one instance and a chain-attached slide bolt in the other, are also provided. The assembly is completed by a bracket, to which the chain is rotatably anchored, for attachment to the door jamb. The resulting chain door guard assembly affords selectively varying degrees of security and convenience, achieved by the insertion of various chain heads into various entry slots.

10 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures COMBINATION OF INTERLOCKING SECURITY ON CHAIN DOOR GUARDS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This application is a continuation in part of US. Ser. No. 34l,563, filed Mar. 15, 1973 now abandoned for Chain Door Guards, which in turn, was a continuation in part of U5. Ser. No. 306,180, filed Dec. 26, 1972 now abandoned for Chain Door Guards, Bernard C. Segal, inventor.

This invention relates primarily to chain door guards and more particularly to such guards used in conjunc tion with, and attached to, a door jamb and door, for permitting inspection but preventing unwanted intrusion.

In presently available chain door guards, the conventional construction includes an elongated guard plate for attachment to a door, a bracket for attachment to a door jamb and a chain anchored to the bracket for insertion into an elongated slot defined by the guard plate. Usually such available chain door guards provide an elongated slot with an enlarged slot end remote from the bracket. The free end of the chain opposite the chains anchor carries a chain head small enough for insertion to the enlarged slot end but large enough to prevent removal at any other location along the elongated slot. By means of such a conventional device, a person is provided with a degree of security by inserting the chain head into the elongated slot end and then sliding the chain head to the opposite end of the slot. Thus, when a caller comes to the door, the door may be opened by an amount approximately equal to the total distance from the chain anchor to the enlarged slot end, less the length of the slot. A caller may be inspected in this way and then the door closed to permit removal of the chain head from the guard plate slot.

These prior art chain door guards suffer from the disadvantage that resistance against an intruder during inspection is provided only by the strength of a single chain head. Furthermore, these available constructions operate in a single mode only, i.e., the inspection mode, with the previously described opening distance existing, through which the lawful resident behind the door may be threatened by an intruder with a weapon and thereby forced to relinquish control.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A primary object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a chain door guard which permits versatility in its performance and functions in a reliable and efficient manner.

A further and more particular object is to provide a chain door guard not only convenient and reliable to use, but also devised to provide selectively variable protection with a degree of strength heretofore unknown in the security field.

These and other objects of the present invention are preferably embodied in a chain door guard assembly having a bracket for anchoring a chain to a door jamb, a chain alternatively attached to the bracket and a guard plate featuring a raised main body section and flanges extending therefrom. The guard plate is fixedly attached to the door operatively associated with the above-mentioned door jamb. The raised main body section of the guard plate defines an elongated slot and a plurality of entry slots which permit insertion of a chain head to the elongated slot. A chain head is attached to the free end of the chain, i.e.. the end opposite to the chain anchor at the bracket. In one preferred embodiment, a diagonally oriented entry slot is provided adjacent the end of the elongated slot nearest the door jamb and a vertically oriented entry slot is formed I in the guard plate at a point beyond the end of the elongated slot furthest from the door jamb. Another entry slot of generally truncated circular configuration is provided at the end of the elongated slot furthest from the door jamb; entry and removal of the chain head through this entry slot is accomplished by a tilting motion of the chain head, thus minimizing any likelihood of inadverdent accidental removal and any possibility of removal by children, which might sacrifice a measure of security for the protected household.

The width of the elongated slot is smaller than the diameter of the chain head to ensure holding the chain in place when security is desired. Furthermore, at least one other chain head is mounted on the chain between its anchor and the previously mentioned chain head in the preferred embodiments. This second chain head affords a versatility of use for chain door guard assembly more fully detailed hereinafter.

Still another entry slot may be provided in the raised portion of the guard plate, extending from the end of the guard plate nearest the door jamb toward but not connecting with the elongated slot. On the chain at a point near its anchor, another chain head in the form of a slide bolt is mounted and positioned to cooperated with the last-mentioned entry slot, providing a further night-latch" or double security feature to the preferred novel chain guard assembly.

By utilizing one or more of the chain head elements of this invention, a householder may select a degree of door security ranging from the inspection capacity of the standard conventional door guard to the ultimate protection of a triple-headed, triple-strength positive door closure.

The above brief description, as well as further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully understood by reference to the preferred but illustrative embodiments described in detail hereinafter in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view ofa chain door guard assembly according to the present invention, showing the bracket and guard plate thereof and their attachment to a door jamb and door, respectively, with the door open and the chain hanging free;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the assembly with the chain in position for restricted door opening to permit maximum inspection capability;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the assembly with the chain in position for allowing a more restricted door opening;

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the assembly with the chain in position of maximum security, with any opening of the door precluded;

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the assembly, taken generally along line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 66 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a partial front elevational view of an alternate embodiment of the guard plate of this invention; and

3 FIG. 8 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 7.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Examining the drawings in detail, a chain door guard assembly 1 is shown in FIG. 1 which includes guard plate 2, bracket 3 and chain links 4. Guard plate 2 is fixed by screws 6 or the like to door a, while bracket 3 is fixedly attached to door jamb 5b, operatively associated with door 5a. Chain links 4 are interlocked to form a chain which is anchored at one end to bracket 3 by rivet 27 with its enlarged base 28 (FIG. 5).

Bracket 3 generally includes a main body portion defining an upwardly facing slot 29, the function of which is to hold the chain in non-operative position when opening of door 5a is unrestricted. Guard plate 2 is formed to include flanges 7 through which screws 6 project to hold guard plate 2 in place on door 5a. Guard plate 2 further includes a raised main body portion 8 which defines elongated slot 23, the end of which nearest door jamb 5b is designated as the forward abutting end 25 of elongated slot 23. Raised portion 8 further defines a plurality of entry slots 21 and 22, 9 and 10, 24, and 32 to permit attachment of chain links 4 to guard plate 2 in various ways. correspondingly attached to chain links 4 are a plurality of chain heads, generally designated 11, 16, the insertion of which into elongated slot 23 is made possible by entry slots 24, and 21-22, respectively. Also, chain door guard assembly 1 permits chain head 11 to be introduced into separate independent entry slot 9, 10. In addition, chain link 4a carries slide bolt 36 with its associated handle 38. Slide bolt 36 is formed to fit into space 34, defined by the surface of door 5a and the walls of raised portion 8 of guard plate 2. Entry slot 32 in raised portion 8 accommodates chain link 4a to permit insertion of slide bolt 36 to space 34.

In more detail, chain head 16 is provided with an outer head portion 17, a shank portion 19 of smaller diameter than that of head portion 17, an intermediate collar 18 generally the same size as head portion 17, and an inner head portion 20 of a size and thickness matching entry slot 21. Similarly, chain head 11 comprises outer head portion 12, intermediate collar portion 13, shank portion 14, and inner head portion 15. Head portion 15, it is to be noted, is formed of a larger diameter and thicker than head portion 20 of chain head 16 so that chain head 11 may enter slots 9, l0 and 24, but may not be inadvertently removed from elongated slot 23 through entry slots 21, 22.

OPERATION The component elements of novel chain door guard 1 described above are illustrated in FIG. 1 in completely inoperative position with chain 4 shown hanging free, for purposes of clarity. In normal usage, however, when door 5a is open, chain head 11 is placed in, and held captive by, slot 29 of bracket 30.

The optional operative modes of door guard assembly 1 are illustrated in FIGS. 24 and described in the ensuing paragraphs. According to the construction of the preferred embodiment, four selective operating positions may be utilized for chain door guard assembly 1.

Firstly, chain head 11 may be inserted through entry slot 24 into elongated slot 23 so that operation is in accordance with that commonly used for presently available chain door guards. In other words, head 11 is introduced into elongated slot 23 while the door is closed. Inspection capability results from moving head 11 along elongated slot 23 to its forward abutting end 25 and opening the door 5a to the extent chain 4 allows. This configuration is shown in FIG. 2.

Secondly, head 11 can be positioned in elongated slot 23 through entry slot 24 and at the same time, head 16 can be inserted through entry slot 21, 22 into elongated slot 23. An inspection capability is still provided in the same general manner as above, but the protection is literally twice as much, since the protective strength is now provided by both outer head portions 12, 17, rather than just one, and the opening of door 5a is further restricted by the reduced chain length (between anchor 27 and chain head 16 at abutting end 25). This arrangement is shown in FIG. 3.

Thirdly, head 16 is placed in slot 23 through entry slot 22, while head 11 is inserted in entry slot 10 so that inner head portion 15 rests in enlarged entry slot 9. In this position, door 5a is interlocked tightly with its jamb 5b and yet the simple removal of head 11 from slot 10 restores the operational capability of the previously described positions.

Finally, the extra security of sliding bolt 36 introduced into space 34 through entry slot 32 may be employed either by itself, with the rest of chain 4 hanging free, or, as shown in FIG. 4, with head 16 in elongated slot 23 and head 11 in entry slot 10 for complete triple protection.

An alternate embodiment is disclosed in FIGS. 7 and 8, wherein reference characters designate like parts to those described above, but include primes for each corresponding part of the alternate embodiment. The primary difference here is the replacement of entry slots 21, 22 by a truncated-circle-shaped entry slot 30, which functions precisely as does entry slot 24 of the previous embodiment, thus requiring chain head 16 to be tipped for insertion into or removal from elongated slot 23. It is to be noted that entry slot 30 is so dimensioned that it will not permit the larger head portion 15 of chain head 11 to be inadvertently removed through it from slot 23.

I claim:

1. A chain door guard assembly for attachment to a mating door and door jamb, comprising:

a bracket for attachment to the door jamb;

a chain rotatably attached to said bracket;

a guard plate for attachment to the door, said guard plate being formed with a raised main body section which defines a horizontally disposed elongated main slot, a first entry slot providing entry to said elongated main slot and a second entry slot independent of said elongated slot, said second entry slot being substantially vertically disposed and positioned near the end of said guard plate remote from the door jamb; and

a chain head carried by said chain at the end thereof furthest from the point of attachment of said chain with said bracket, said chain head for insertion into said elongated slot through said first entry slot to provide limited door opening and for insertion into said second entry slot to provide complete restriction to the opening of the door.

2. The invention according to claim 1, wherein said first entry slot is defined by said main body section of said guard plate in the form of a truncated circle to provide for the insertion of said chain head by means of a tipping motion only.

3. The invention according to claim 1, further comprising:

said main body section of said guard plate further defining a third entry slot providing another entry into said elongated main slot; and

a second chain head, carried by said chain at a point intermediate between the point of attachment of said chain with said bracket and the free end of said chain, for insertion into said elongated main slot to provide an intermediate door-opening limitationi 4. The invention according to claim 3, wherein said third entry slot is diagonally disposed with respect to said main elongated slot.

5. The invention according to claim 3, wherein said third entry slot is defined by said main body section of said guard plate in the form of a truncated circle to provide for the insertion of said second chain head by means of a tipping motion only.

6. The invention according to claim 1, further comprising:

said main body section of said guard plate further defining a fourth entry slot independent of said elongated main slot, said fourth entry slot extending horizontally from the end of said guard plate nearest the door jamb; and

a third chain head carried on said chain at a point near the point of sliding attachment of said chain with said bracket, said third chain head dimensioned and positioned for insertion through said fourth entry slot into the space beneath said fourth entry slot defined by the walls of said raised main body section of said guard plate and the surface of the door to provide further security against unwanted door-opening.

7. The invention according to claim 6, wherein said third chain head is in the form of a slide bolt of parallelogram-shaped cross-section and complementary in shape and size to said space beneath said fourth entry slot defined by the walls of said raised body section of said guard plate and the surface of the door.

8. The invention according to claim 6, wherein the link of said chain which carries said third chain head also supports a handle for facilitating the manipulation of said third chain head into and out of said space beneath said fourth entry slot.

9. Chain door guard assembly as defined in claim 3, further comprising:

said main body section of guard plate further defining a fourth entry slot independent of said elongated main slot, said fourth entry slot extending horizontally from the end of said guard plate nearest the door jamb; and

a third chain head carried on said chain at a point near the point of sliding attachment of said chain with said bracket, said third chain head positioned and dimensioned for insertion through said fourth entry slot into the space beneath said fourth entry slot defined by the walls of said raised main body section of said guard plate and the surface of the door.

10. A chain door guard assembly for attachment to a mating door and door jamb comprising a guard plate for attachment to said door, a bracket for attachment to said door jamb, a chain rotatably attached to said bracket, said guard plate including a main body section defining first, second and third entry slots and an elongated main slot with first and third entry slots providing entry to said elongated main slot and said second entry slot being independent of said elongated slot, said first entry slot being diagonally oriented and said second entry slot being vertically oriented, said chain carrying first and second chain heads for insertion to said elongated slot through said first and third entry slots to provide a plurality of door closure limitations and for insertion to said second entry slot to provide an absolute limitation to opening of said door, and said first chain head being carried by said chain at the end thereof furthest from the point of attachment of said chain with said bracket and the said second chain head being carried by said chain between said first chain head and said point. 

1. A chain door guard assembly for attachment to a mating door and door jamb, comprising: a bracket for attachment to the door jamb; a chain rotatably attached to said bracket; a guard plate for attachment to the door, said guard plate being formed with a raised main body section which defines a horizontally disposed elongated main slot, a first entry slot providing entry to said elongated main slot and a second entry slot independent of said elongated slot, said second entry slot being substantially vertically disposed and positioned near the end of said guard plate remote from the door jamb; and a chain head carried by said chain at the end thereof furthest from the point of attachment of said chain with said bracket, said chain head for insertion into said elongated slot through said first entry slot to provide limited door opening and for insertion into said second entry slot to provide complete restriction to the opening of the door.
 2. The invention according to claim 1, wherein said first entry slot is defined by said main body section of said guard plate in the form of a truncated circle to provide for the insertion of said chain head by means of a tipping motion only.
 3. The invention according to claim 1, further comprising: said main body section of said guard plate further defining a third entry slot providing another entry into said elongated main slot; and a second chain head, carried by said chain at a point intermediate between the point of attachment of said chain with said bracket and the free end of said chain, for insertion into said elongated main slot to provide an intermediate door-opening limitation.
 4. The invention according to claim 3, wherein said third entry slot is diagonally disposed with respect to said main elongated slot.
 5. The invention according to claim 3, wherein said third entry slot is defined by said main body section of said guard plate in the form of a truncated circle to provide for the insertion of said second chain head by means of a tipping motion only.
 6. The invention according to claim 1, further comprising: said main body section of said guard plate further defining a fourth entry slot independent of said elongated main slot, said fourth entry slot extending horizontally from the end of said guard plate nearest the door jamb; and a third chain head carried on said chain at a point near the point of sliding attachment of said chain with said bracket, said third chain head dimensioned and positioned for insertion through said fourth entry slot into the space benEath said fourth entry slot defined by the walls of said raised main body section of said guard plate and the surface of the door to provide further security against unwanted door-opening.
 7. The invention according to claim 6, wherein said third chain head is in the form of a slide bolt of parallelogram-shaped cross-section and complementary in shape and size to said space beneath said fourth entry slot defined by the walls of said raised body section of said guard plate and the surface of the door.
 8. The invention according to claim 6, wherein the link of said chain which carries said third chain head also supports a handle for facilitating the manipulation of said third chain head into and out of said space beneath said fourth entry slot.
 9. Chain door guard assembly as defined in claim 3, further comprising: said main body section of guard plate further defining a fourth entry slot independent of said elongated main slot, said fourth entry slot extending horizontally from the end of said guard plate nearest the door jamb; and a third chain head carried on said chain at a point near the point of sliding attachment of said chain with said bracket, said third chain head positioned and dimensioned for insertion through said fourth entry slot into the space beneath said fourth entry slot defined by the walls of said raised main body section of said guard plate and the surface of the door.
 10. A chain door guard assembly for attachment to a mating door and door jamb comprising a guard plate for attachment to said door, a bracket for attachment to said door jamb, a chain rotatably attached to said bracket, said guard plate including a main body section defining first, second and third entry slots and an elongated main slot with first and third entry slots providing entry to said elongated main slot and said second entry slot being independent of said elongated slot, said first entry slot being diagonally oriented and said second entry slot being vertically oriented, said chain carrying first and second chain heads for insertion to said elongated slot through said first and third entry slots to provide a plurality of door closure limitations and for insertion to said second entry slot to provide an absolute limitation to opening of said door, and said first chain head being carried by said chain at the end thereof furthest from the point of attachment of said chain with said bracket and the said second chain head being carried by said chain between said first chain head and said point. 